Raiganj, Feb. 20: Suryodaya, a school for the hearing impaired, has been declared a specialised adoption agency following the directions of the Supreme Court.

“The Supreme Court has ruled that children found abandoned in the district cannot be taken away elsewhere under any circumstances and should be kept at a special home for handing over to couples seeking adoption in the same district,” said Sushil Goswami, the North Dinajpur chairperson of the Child Welfare Committee.

The responsibility to run the special home has been granted to the CWC under the state social welfare department.

Goswami said a recent survey conducted by the CWC revealed that some private agencies accepted abandoned children and looked after them for adoption. “Sometimes, they take the children to their head offices outside the district. But this practice will have to end.” Letters had already been sent to five nursing homes and two Christian missions, he added.

From now on, couples willing to adopt should apply directly to the CWC chairperson and the children, who would be kept at Suryodaya, would be handed over to them on a first-come-first-serve basis. He said he had received 11 applications.

Explaining the conditions for the couples to apply for adoption, Goswami said the combined age of the parents should not cross 90 years, they could adopt children only after completing 10 years of marriage and they should be residents of North Dinajpur. Issues like their economic condition and health would also be taken into consideration.

“However, till we have a specialised baby care centre at Suryodaya, we will keep the babies at the government hospitals,” Goswami said.